Contributors

Monday, December 31, 2012

Over 30 years ago, circa 1980, I was friends with a guy named Len. We were in seventh grade. Len introduced me to a comic book series called "X-Men", and its most recent issues, 141 and 142. These happened to be (imho) two of the best superhero comics ever made. It was a magical time. Thanks to Len, I became hooked on comics, and would remain (with one short break) hooked for life.

Jump to 2012 (the far-flung future!), and though our lives have long since taken different paths, Len and I are now Facebook friends. Today he sent me a photo of his dad reading "The Carter Family: Don't Forget This Song"...

Things have come full-cirle. The circle can and will be unbroken. Thanks, Len, for sharing your comics with me back in the day, and for sharing my comics with your father today.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Michael Taube wrote a very thoughtful, intelligent assessment of our book in the Washington (D.C.) Times. It's perhaps my favorite piece written on the book to date. It was a nice holiday gift, and you can read it HERE if you're so inclined. Below is a screen shot of the start of the review. Thank you, Mr. Taube, and happy holidays to you all!

Our book was ranked #3, just behind "Building Stories" and "The Graphic Canon."

I'm doubly excited because I was a contributor to Russ Kick's exhaustive "Graphic Canon Vol. 2", which got the #1 spot on Brain Pickings' list. The series is a collection of literary adaptations, and the bulk of Vol. 2 comes mainly from the prolific 19th century. I drew a 3-page adaptation of Lord Byron's "She Walks in Beauty," drawn while also working on "The Carter Family," but in a completely different style...

Saturday, December 15, 2012

On this day in 1891 Alvin Pleasant Carter was born. A. P. Carter was one of the most influential music makers of the 20th century. He left a mark as large and pervasive as Lennon and McCartney, Hank Williams Sr. and Bob Dylan.

Perhaps even larger than those hallowed names, because A.P. developed deeply to the construction of popular song making. He helped set the concept of shaping a song to the constraints of a record's playing time. He also had a genius for condensing long ballads into powerful three-minute capsules--the very thing that helped country music become widespread.

Though his life--and those of his family and friends--was still very much rooted in the ways of the 19th century, A.P. cannily used emerging technology as a guide to his inner passion. His fearless blend of past, present and future preserved the old songs he encountered in his rambles and made them new for millions of listeners, to this very day.

A.P. needed the partnership of Sara and Maybelle to express his musical vision, and to make it popular. But at the very heart of the Carter Family were the songs--and A.P.'s loving stewardship of them.

Celebrate this day by listening to some Carter Family music. Click HERE to peruse the many videos of Carter Family music currently on YouTube.